Programs
Introductory Programming
Welcome Picnic
This informal gathering is designed to help incoming students interested in entrepreneurship connect with one another and begin building community before the start of the academic year. Hosted off-campus in Hanover, the picnic offers a relaxed setting to meet fellow students and learn more about entrepreneurial resources at Tuck.
Entrepreneurship 101: Pathways for Starters
Join us for this session tailored to those looking to be a founder or starter of an idea. The Center for Entrepreneurship invites you to explore various approaches, terminology, pathways, and resources for starting your venture. Gain valuable insights and real-world examples that will inspire and guide you on your entrepreneurial journey.
Entrepreneurship 101: Pathways for Builders
Join us for this session tailored to those looking to work on or at an early-stage company. Whether employee #3 or #30, understand your options. This will cover terminology, types of early-stage companies, options and pathways, resources, and examples.
Entrepreneurship 101: ETA (Entrepreneurship through Acquisition) – Getting Started
This workshop serves as a foundational introduction to the world of Entrepreneurship through Acquisition. It will provide a comprehensive overview of ETA and an understanding of both various pathways to acquisition as well as considerations of targets for acquisition. This workshop explores real case studies of Tuck acquirers and considers the timelines and realities of this opportunity.
Entrepreneurship through Acquisition Programming
Tuck has long offered events and programming around Entrepreneurship through Acquisition. In 2019, hosted by the Center for Entrepreneurship, the Entrepreneurship through Acquisition Speaker Series at Tuck was founded by T’20s Ryan Turk and Jim Prial. The Entrepreneurship through Acquisition Club works directly with the Center for Entrepreneurship on an ambitious speaker series which is part of what teaches would-be entrepreneurs at Tuck about innovative paths to company ownership.
Learn more about the ETA programming
Entrepreneurship Funding Opportunities
Maynard Internship Program
The Maynard Internship Program, generously supported by Fred Maynard T’85, combines the summer internship with the opportunity to understand first-hand the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurial ventures. Three paths exist in this program for students to explore entrepreneurship or early-stage companies during their summer between first and second year.
- Summer Startup Award: for students wishing to work on their venture exclusively
- Entrepreneurial Award: for students wishing to work at an early-stage company
- Private Equity (PE)/Venture Capital (VC) Award: for students wishing work at an early-stage focused private equity or venture capital firm
Entrepreneurial Award
The Entrepreneurship Award is a $10,000 award to the individual(s) or team(s) starting or building a new venture while embracing the spirit of the Tuck Center for Entrepreneurship.
Venture Learning Lab Funding
Venture Learning Lab Funding is available to participants towards the end of each cohort for basic venture expenses for active and engaged teams who work through the online content, attend in-person cohort meetings, office hours, and participate in demo day.
Entrepreneurship Speaker Programming Section
Throughout the year, as part of its mission to support entrepreneurial thinking and action across all career paths, the Center for Entrepreneurship hosts founders, investors, and advisors from a range of industries and entrepreneurial stages. These guests share candid insights into the realities of building and scaling ventures, joining early-stage teams, pursuing ETA, and investing in innovation. Their experiences bring to life the risks, rewards, and decision-making dynamics that define entrepreneurial careers. A sample of recent Center-hosted visitors include:
- Founder Fireside with Mike Adair T’09, founder of Red’s
Tuck alum Mike Adair spoke about the highs and lows of entrepreneurship in the food industry, sharing insights into starting a business at Tuck and what it takes to succeed post-Tuck. - Innovator’s Dilemma in Large Companies with Betsabeh Madani Hermann T’13
Betsabeh, Head of Research at Philips, explored the challenges and opportunities in launching and scaling breakthrough innovations within large multinational companies. - Introduction to ARMI with Julie Lenzer, Chief Innovation Officer at ARMI
Students learned about opportunities with the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute, a Manchester, NH tech hub, such as Fellowships, internships, and the many early companies who need business leaders. - Full Contact Entrepreneurship with Andy Palmer T’94
Andy is a seasoned entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in building and scaling innovative companies in the fields of technology, health care, and life sciences. He shared wisdom and insights on the earliest stages of startup work. - Maine Venture Fund and Maine Startups with Joe Powers T’14 and Nina Scheepers T’20
Each year, MVF explains what a state-sponsored fund is and how MVF supports the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Maine. Students also learn about MVF internships, which are an excellent opportunity for any starter or builder to get hands on experience from both sides. - Live + Work in Maine: Innovative & Entrepreneurship Career Opportunities in ME with Katie Shorey and Laura Shen T’17
Live + Work Maine’s mission is to attract and retain talent for Maine’s workforce. It is a nonprofit dedicated to providing information and resources to individuals and families who want to relocate to, move within, or stay in Maine. - Entity Formation and Employee Equity with Mark Stein D'83
This empowering workshop led by Mark Stein, renowned legal expert in entity formation and employee equity, helped students learn about how to build a solid foundation for their future venture’s success. - Meet the Founder: Conversation with Rob Thelen T’16, Founder, Rownd
Students joined Rob for a special small group discussion as he shared his story of founding a company while here at Tuck, going to IBM, then coming back to entrepreneurship with the founding of Rownd.
Office Hours
As part of its programming, the center offers 1:1 office hours with speakers and mentors which provides the value of deeper connections with visiting alums and speakers.
Fellows Program
There are two distinctive fellows roles within the Center for Entrepreneurship: student pathways fellow and partner organization fellow. For a student pathway fellow, there are three roles: starter fellow, builder fellow, and acquirer fellow. These fellows work directly with the Center to pursue leadership opportunities to advance the entrepreneurship community here at Tuck, across campus, and with our community partners. For a Center for Entrepreneurship fellow working with one of our partner organizations, work is primarily focused on creating impact and the development of growth and innovation with the partner organization. Students bring those learnings and opportunities to campus.
See our current list of Entrepreneurship fellows
Monthly Community Coffee Chats
These informal gatherings provide a great opportunity to connect with fellow entrepreneurs: founders and innovators, builders or early-stage employees, inventors, or acquirers of businesses. Our coffee chats are designed to foster collaboration and conversation across the entrepreneurship ecosystem. Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or looking for a new idea or partner, come for a hot cup of coffee or tea and leave with new connections!
Portman Lecture Series: In the Spirit of Entrepreneurship
Each year, the Center for Entrepreneurship partners with Dartmouth’s Rockefeller Center for Public Policy and Social Sciences to bring to campus cutting-edge policy thinkers and practitioners in the areas of small business development and entrepreneurship. These may include small business persons and entrepreneurs; high ranking government officials; leaders of prominent business organizations; researchers from leading universities, think tanks and foundations concentrating on issues of small business development; and state directors of economic development.
In 2025, 40th U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo came to speak for the Portman Lecture in the Spirit of Entrepreneurship. Secretary Raimondo shared her expertise on AI and national security, her creation of the U.S. AI Safety Institute in the Department of Commerce, mitigation of national security threats presented by AI, and launching of the international network of AI Safety Institutes. Secretary Raimondo also spoke about her innovative policies and initiatives including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act. This conversation was moderated by Matthew Slaughter, The Paul Danos Dean of the Tuck School and Earl C. Daum 1924 Professor of International Business.
More Center Opportunities: Experiential Learning | Courses & Electives | Student Organizations